


Glass Heart

by EmrykAlexis



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-02
Updated: 2016-10-04
Packaged: 2018-08-19 00:35:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 20,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8182157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmrykAlexis/pseuds/EmrykAlexis
Summary: A heart that has been dying since the day she was born, a secret she has kept from all. Like the love that resides in the decaying, cracked organ beating irregularly inside of her rib cage. Like the life she held outside the borders. What happens when Emma collapses and her secrets slowly begin to be unraveled? Is there a cure? If so, what are the consequences?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just moving this over from FF. Written and originally posted between July 2015 through September 2015.

'Glass Heart' syndrome. Or at least that was what Emma had called it for most of her life. Really it was just a heart condition. One that had gradually worsened with time. Truthfully speaking there was no real name for the condition she'd been born with. It was one that had never been seen before.

Considering she had gotten shit foster homes who beat her, starved her, or simply chose to forget she existed in the first place most of the time they had refused to let her have treatment. Or be tested upon. Which, as Emma looks back on, might not have been a bad thing. She didn't want to be some sort of lab rat.

As far as Emma needed to know her heart was fucked. A bastard of an organ that was playing russian roulette. Not that she particularly cared. She had long since stopped being worried about dying. Her whole life people had attempted to control her, and her whole life she'd fought back. She figured if she was dying she might as well be happy and enjoy herself as she fucking does it.

One time, when she was barely four years old, there had been a really nice young doctor who had truly done his best to try and help her. He was doing his residence, which of course she hadn't understood at that age. The foster father had literally dropped her off in the emergency room of the hospital because she had begun to cough up blood after he'd beat her pretty bad. He'd left immediately, dropped her into a chair and then left.

No one had really noticed. It was boston. The place was full of sick complaining people, why would they bother a little girl who was curled into a ball and not crying. She'd learned not to cry. Crying made everything worse. But, that young doctor had noticed her, had picked her up and looked her over. Probably saved her life.

Honest to god, it was one of the best weeks of Emma's early childhood. Hell, one of the best weeks of her young life. The young doctor with the blonde hair and blue eyes had been nice to her. Checking in on her. He read to her. He'd colored and made jokes. To this day she couldn't remember his name, let alone his face. But she remembered his hair and his eyes.

Of course, she couldn't stay indefinitely. The day that she had to leave with her new foster parents had been utterly horrible. The little girl had kicked, screamed, and clung at her only friend. So he had plucked her up, and sat down in one of the chairs. Wrapping his arms around her and placing his chin on her head.

Everyone had watched as he whispered to her that while she might have a glass heart she was one of the strongest, willful, adorable, and funny little girls he had ever met. Slowly he'd calmed her down. Placing her on her feet, and turning her so she was looking at him. He'd cupped her chin. Looked at her sadly, and told her she was a fighter. Then he watched with a frown as she was dragged away.

After that she had never seen that doctor again. However. The nickname had stuck. He'd said she had a glass heart. So that was what she called it. It made sense, looking back. A heart that was quick to bleed, quick to die, and just seemed to shatter more and more as time passed on. Glass was an interesting material. It could be as strong as steel, or as fragile as a single blade of grass.

Everyone in the town thought that their savior, Emma Ashden Swan, was made of bulletproof grade glass. Hell they were pretty damn sure she didn't bleed, that she walked on fucking air, that she could shit pure gold, and was the most magical badass being in existence. That she was put on the earth to save THEM and give THEM their happy ending.

If only they knew the truth about what beat beneath the woman's breastplate. If only they knew the secrets that resides in her soul, the darkness, anger, and pain. If only they knew the love that had grown there. Truth be told, she could give a flying pigshit about ninety percent of the town. She just wanted to be some semblance of happy before her heart finally turned to dust.

If nothing else Emma knew she was immensely skilled with the way she had always carried herself. Especially in this town. On the outside she perfectly emanated a steel like exterior. On the outside she could take a hit like a champ, and truthfully spoken she sometimes even purposely picked a fight just to feel fucking alive.

Picking fights with her condition was simply suicidal. That didn't stop her from doing it. Emma knew just one wrong hit and she could have that final attack that would claim her life. However, the way she figured it, if she died that way at least she had chosen it. At least then she'd gone down swinging.

Differences. Opposites. Interior and exterior for example. Physically, mentally, emotionally. Inside she rarely felt alive. Never felt worth a dime. After all she knew how close to death she was. Knew every moment, essentially, could be her very last. That she was simply living on borrowed time.

How she had lived through all the curse drama she didn't know, but somehow she had. Not that it mattered. Before she had moved to this stupid little town thanks to her kid showing up at her doorstep she had stopped taking her pills. She didn't want them, hadn't wanted people to know. Emma wanted to pretend that her heart didn't ache in her chest in more than just an emotional way.

Hearts. Emma had always fully despised the organs. How could she do anything but? Emotions came from the heart. _Love_ came from the heart. No one here knew, no one in a long time had known. It was her best kept secret. There were only two things Emma had in common with Cora. The relevant one was that both believed that hearts were someone's weakness. If only Cora had truly known how weak, mutilated and dying Emma's had been.

In fact way back before the Curse was broken she had been so keen on keeping her secrets that she had been seconds away from returning her badge, back when she was a deputy. Graham had been growing tired of Emma's 'Too busy to get a physical, I'll get one next week' speech.

Like a miracle, a tragic miracle, before he got so tired of her never-ending excuses he had, ironically, had a heart attack and died. So being the cruel creature she was she had used his death, and any excuse she could think of, to deny getting one when she had accepted the Sheriff's star. Because at the end of the day Emma really, really, did not want to get a physical done.

The whole curse breaking shit, being at each others throats, trips to a whole other land and what not had helped astronomically in Emma's endeavor not to get such a thing done. Of course over time there had been no new excuses and she had no choice but to quit, or get it done. Unlike Graham, Regina had offered her a golden opportunity.

Whale, being the town's doctor, was supposed to do all the check-ups for work. However the mayor had believed Emma's reluctance to be the fact her mother had slept with the man. So told Emma she could choose her own Doctor. The very next day Emma had driven herself right over the barrier line.

Regina had allowed her five days off. So Emma quickly, and efficiently, tracked down someone close enough to her own appearance, weight, and height and paid them a pretty portion of her monthly income to take the required tests for her. All worth it, Regina got the paperwork she needed, and Emma never had to divulge the deadly organ beating behind her ribcage.

Each time Emma had been forced into the bi-yearly physical she'd take a short vacation, select a new woman and a new doctor. Always someone fit, someone who wasn't at risk of heart disease or something stupid. Someone who shouldn't be on a heart transplant list, even if every doctor had told Emma that her body would, without a doubt, reject any heart that she received.

Waiting for the end. That's all Emma Swan ever really did. Since the very beginning she had known. Though at that point she hadn't fully understood that her heart was bad. All she had known was she wasn't going to live very long. However, she'd never really truly believed it. She was young, reckless, and stupid. Didn't care.

The truth of it all had hit her, fully, for the first time when she was seventeen. The heart attack she'd had was so bad Emma had literally died twice on the table. Both times coming back after more than two minutes. She'd been in Maine at the time. However, since then her heart continued to decline.

The fact she was dying, that her time was truly limited. That she had absolutely no control in her fucked up fate. That had been drilled into her when she had died, for six minutes and fourteen seconds. It had happened right after she had given birth to the son she had never wanted. Time and time again her heart had failed. Pills or no pills. Whether she ate and did as the doctor said or not. Her little glass heart was going to do as it wanted, and that was just the way it was.

What Emma didn't know that today would be the day that her heart finally just gave up. That the glass would finally shatter. Her soul and her heart would just break in one final, and painful, blow. She was standing by her car, across the street and a house down from Regina's. Watching as Robin kissed the woman she loved goodbye.

Her son rushing towards the house with the biggest grin on his face. Robin smiling affectionately on a woman there was no way in hell he could ever deserve, ever be worthy of. Henry waving at him and being happy to see him. He too thought the man walked on gold and shit out rainbows. How he could be so delusional Emma never understood. All Emma had wanted to do was drop the kid off, not have her heart broken. Again.

That was it. The final straw, the sheriff couldn't take anymore. Her heart couldn't take it anymore. Her hand shot to her chest, right over her heart. Clawing through the fabric of her shirt. Knowing as she did so that this was it. That this was her final moment, this was where she would die. Her eyes fluttered shut, and her jaw tightened. Refusing to make a sound.

What would be the point in making any? Nothing could save her now. This had happened so many times before, but this time the pain was worse than ever. Her heart gave out slow, heavy, severally excruciating thuds. Pain ricocheting out from her heart, feeling like hot lava in her veins. Each beat slower, heavier, until finally no beats could be given.

Soundlessly Emma dropped to her knees, before sliding her back against the bug. Finally ending up fully on the ground, curled up. Not a soul noticed what was going on. Not even the son who was far too busy telling his mother and her boyfriend about his amazing weekend. Not the mother, not the boyfriend. Not for several minutes did anyone take notice of the fallen sheriff.

In fact it wasn't a human at all that found her. It was Pongo. If the dog had not escaped and been wandering around on his own Emma wouldn't have been noticed for several hours. The dog licked her face in between frantic barks. Barking up a storm of epic proportions between loud howling and whining. By then Emma's heart had already stopped, but she wasn't yet permanently dead.

Twelve slow hours passed. A group of people wearing tracks in the hard white surface of the hospital floor as they impatiently and worriedly waited for the doctors to return and tell them just how their savior was doing. All they knew thus far was that she was in surgery and they'd get more information later.

They didn't even know what was wrong with her yet. All they knew was when the ambulance had arrived she had no heartbeat, and wasn't breathing. So some people paced, some people sat, some people stared. No matter who was doing what, no matter how they tried to be hopeful, not one of them could feel anything but fear. And in some cases guilt.

Doc, and Whale, came into the room. The first thing everyone noticed was they were no longer wearing green scrubs, but blue. They'd changed. The dwarfs face was somber, guilty. It shot fresh waves of fear into everyone who had waited. In fact the shorter man couldn't even look anywhere but the floor. His face conveyed fear. He was too terrified to look them in the eye, Doc knew he couldn't handle such a thing. He couldn't even look at Regina of all people.

Eyes that had long since run out of tears watered as Snow grabbed onto her husband. He was barely able to hold her up. Henry was curled up like a baby in his mother's arms. Paralyzed in fear, with his face in her chest. Regina was tapping her foot she was so nervous, but her son just thought she was trying to calm herself. Belle had long since cried herself to sleep, her head tucked safely in Ruby's lap. Though the wolf looked ready to jump to her feet at any moment, much like Pongo who was laying sadly on Archie's feet.

"How is she doing? Is she going to be alright? Doc? Frank?" Archie was the first to speak, he had jumped to his feet. Wringing his hands together as he too stared at the floor. "Well?" He pushed softly after he was met with a deathly silence. Worry eating at his insides. He himself felt horrible, he could only imagine what everyone else was feeling.

Heart sinking even further inside of her chest Regina let out a pained breath as Whale finally looked her in her eyes. When that man, of all the evil people in any world, looked guilty enough to cry. That was a bad sign, worse then any sign that the once evil queen could even fathom at this point.

The man had been Frankenstein, or as he now preferred to be called, Franklin Whale. He cared about science, and his brother. Nothing else. He was a man who was basically void of guilt. And right now it was the only emotion left on his pale face. The woman wasn't even sure why she was in so much pain right now, but she was. Whatever news the Doctors were about to give to them wasn't going to make her feel any better.

"Emma's heart. It's. The heart. It's. It's dying" Doc barely managed to say. His voice so low almost no one could hear it. Doc sniffled and a tear dripped down his cheek. He looked so guilty and torn. He had delivered her, but he he hadn't even had time to check her vitals before she'd been tossed into the wardrobe. He wondered, was this heart condition his fault? Had he been able to check her could it have been prevented?

"For now we have managed to stabilize Sheriff Swan. With that, you need to know, there is nothing medical, or any, science can do. While I can't perform magic, Regina knows just how knowledgeable I am in that area of expertise. From what I know, there is nothing magic can do either. We have managed to save her, but. To be candid. It is merely a matter of time before she passes. Not much at that. Her heart will give out fully, and soon." Snow burst into fresh tears at Whale's words.

"That's not possible" Argued the mayor. Hope filling her chest. "No. Her heart can't be dying. Not even three months ago the organ was quite literally the epitome of health! Hearts simply do not go from that degree of health to useless in such a small span of time. I have the records of all three of her physicals at my office. The first done a few weeks after the curse. Six months after that, then just three months ago. She went in right after Henry's twelfth birthday"

Everyone who had waited in the room for the past half-day eagerly nodded their heads at Regina's words. Investing all of their hope, strength, and wishes in what she had said. They were praying to whatever higher power may exist in this world that Regina's wasn't wrong. As they all desperately wished the doctors were wrong.

As if she could sense the two men's rebuttal the woman in question, the woman who was determined that they be wrong, conjured the correct files into her hands. They arrived in a cloud of lavender smoke. She double checked the name, then painfully shoved them into Whale's hands. Glaring at him as she did so.

Slowly, and carefully, the men flipped through the files. Running their eyes and fingers over the words. Swapping pages and folders back and forth a multitude of times. They whispered to each other so low that no one, not even Ruby, could hear what they were saying no matter how hard they struggled to do so.

They pointed and huddled together while facing away from the group. Sadly nodding their faces at each other, their faces morose. While they had a mutual, undying, hatred of each other they worked together well. When they had too, as far as medically they respected the that, right now, they agreed perfectly. There was unquestionably no way that these tests had ever been performed on the one and only Emma Swan.

"Madam Mayor. This. Well. This file clearly states that Emma is five eleven. Another says five ten. The last says she is a quarter inch below six foot. While in truth the Sheriff stands at just under six-one. There are several other discrepancies as well. I am sorry, these are not Emma's true results" Doc said sadly as he handed the files back to the dumbfounded woman.

Now, everyone knew that Doctor Whale was, honestly, a despicable person. Even he himself knew that much. He liked to test on dead bodies, even live ones when the chance arose. He had sucky bedside manner. However, Emma had saved him. Under the curse he had been bored. Meaningless sex and late nights wishing for something better than treating patients he didn't really like was his life.

When his memories of Victor Frankenstein had flooded into his mind the two personalities had been thrust together. He had the best of both worlds. He loved his life now. Sure he was carefully straddling the line between good and evil, but he was happy with that. Emma dying didn't sit well on his stomach, let alone his mostly silent conscious, but there was nothing he could do to save her.

"The damage to Emma's heart is severe. There is more than enough evidence that points to it having been caught well before now. Her heart has actually been worked on before. Incredulously light scars still exist from the incisions. I'd estimate the last surgery to have been performed five to seven years ago dependent on the skill of the surgeon. That doesn't matter now. What matters is you have very little time to say your goodbyes. You need to come to terms with the fact that she won't be here." His voice actually broke as he spoke, his eyes became watery. Shocking the people even further. Doctor Whale's voice did not break, at least it never had before.

Everyone, save David, could tell by the awkward way the two co-workers were looking at each other that there was more to be said. The two fought, sadly, slowly, and silently through their eyes. Whatever was left to be said. How could it possibly be any worse than learning the Savior, Sheriff, that Emma damn Swan, was dying in a hospital bed because her heart was unsalvageable. Regina couldn't think of worse news, and that scared her. More than she would ever care to admit.

"There is more" Sighed out Doc in defeat. He looked like he was about to just burst into full scale crying at any moment. "We read the back of her emergency dogtags. We found it after removing her shirt. It told us two things. The first being that she is allergic to penicillin, the second that in case of emergency call a certain number. Turns out it was a woman. Well. She's on her way here as we speak." The last part was whispered in worry.

Confused everyone glanced at everyone else in the room. Each seeking answers. A woman? No one had ever heard Emma speak about a woman. In fact, now that they actually thought about it, Emma never spoke of her life outside of Storybrooke. Prior to this moment they hadn't even known she had a deadly allergy to penicillin.

They had seen the silver chain that hung around her neck. However never really thought to ask about the necklace that always was tucked inside of her shirt. They had never once suspected that it was a medical pendant of sorts. In fact, they'd never seen the ending of the necklace. It had always been safely tucked inside of whatever the woman had been wearing. Something they should have found odd.

They decided to put those self-anger inducing thought aside as Doctor Whale led them to Emma's room. It was massive. The kind of room that usually holds four beds, eight in emergency situations. The nurses had put her there. Knowing full well that Emma's waiting room was full of people, and that they'd need the space. They'd even cleared the room out.

After an hour fawning over the still sleeping woman the men and women decided that there was no way in hell that they were going to go back home and risk not being there when she woke up. Having nowhere to sleep, and refusing to bunk in a chair, or worse a blanket on the floor, Regina took pity and conjured air mattresses, pillows, and blankets.

Sixteen full hours had passed since Emma had collapsed when the last of the group finally fell asleep. Troubled, fitful, fearful and restless sleep. However it was sleep nonetheless and they all needed it after the day they'd had. The only thing they needed more was to wake up and learn this was all a massive mistake. Some sort of shared nightmare, even if they knew that was a pipe dream. Should anyone ask, Regina's excuse for staying in the room was the son she shared with the woman sleeping whilst attached to a uncountable amounts of wires.


	2. Chapter 2

"Emma!" Whimpered out a strange woman that no one had seen before. The sound waking everyone from their slumber. She raced across the room, not even taking notice of anything besides the blond on the bed. She dumped two young children onto the floor and grabbed onto one of Emma's hands. "Baby, wake up, please?" She begged. "Tell me why you weren't taking your meds! Tell me, I know you better than anyone Em, you didn't did you? How long have you been off of them this time? I need you" She whispered under her breath, but everyone could hear.

Everyone sat up. Eyes gluing themselves to this strange woman whose eyes were filled with unshed tears. Kissing Emma's hands over and over again. Whispering to her. Begging her to wake up. Finally she yanked a chair so it nearly touched the bed, and fell into it. Pulling the two little boys into her lap. She held onto Emma's hand with her free hand. Staring at Emma's face. Sorrow etched into her own.

It was as if this new lady, who obviously knew Emma, hadn't even noticed that there were other actual human beings in the room. Which, truth be told, she hadn't. She looked absolutely heartbroken. After ten silent minutes of the woman, and the two little boys, just sitting and staring at Emma the heart monitor began to pick up just a little bit. Then a small groan escaped the blonde's lips.

When Emma moved her free hand to her head, letting out another long groan of pain, the woman jumped to her feet. Expertly placing the boys back onto the floor as she leaned over and started kissing Emma's cheeks and forehead. Tears sliding down her cheeks. Watchful, surprised, confused eyes watched the scene before them.

"What?" Croaked out Emma as her eyes cracked open. Taking in the sight of the woman already fretting in front of her. She blinked. "Chaya? What, you aren't supposed to be here. Not after" The freshly named woman placed a finger against Emma's lips. Stopping her from speaking.

Then this strange woman, this Chaya, leaned in and replaced her finger with her own lips. Kissing Emma as if the woman was cold water, and she had been stranded in the Sahara desert. Melding their lips in a way that was certainly too familiar for anyone in the room. Especially Regina. Emma kissed back softly. One hand moving behind the dark haired woman's head to deepen the kiss. Then Emma pulled away, releasing Chaya to push her away slightly.

"You fucking idiot! You complete and utter imbecile" Snapped Chaya as she began to cry harder. "You were off of your pills weren't you!? You are such a moron! How could you do this? You, you move in an apartment and then just fucking disappear on your birthday of all days? Do you know what that did to me?" She demanded, she was clearly hurt and angry.

"SHUT UP!" Roared Emma. "Chaya! Just shut up!" Emma struggled to sit up. "I'm not on anything, certainly not pills. I am perfectly fine. Get out of here, and you take them with you" Emma swung her legs over the edge of the bed and started to rip out the wires, the IV, from her skin. Frantic and glaring at the woman before her, she didn't notice the people boring holes in her bare, and scarred, back.

Silence would have fully enveloped the room if it wasn't for the frantic, and loud, beeping of the machines that had previously held a somewhat erratic but steady rhythm. Now it was obnoxiously screeching. The blonde and the raven-haired woman were glaring at each other as the two little boys clutched onto Chaya's legs. Frightened and confused.

"Are you kidding me? Are you going to actually tell me they don't know?" Was said in complete and utter disbelief. "They don't know you have to be on a special diet? Or that you can't work out, even though you love it? What about the fact you have to be watched carefully? To not allow you any stress? Do they even know you at all?" Chaya demanded.

"NO ONE. NO ONE KNOWS ME" Screamed Emma as she jumped to her feet angrily. "Take them Chaya. You leave this place, please. I gave you everything when I left, so let me lead the life I choose to li-" Emma grabbed onto her chest as she stopped talking. Before falling forward onto the floor. Narrowly missing the three beings before her.

The monitors had been going absolutely insane since Emma had yanked all of the wires and such out. However the nurses chose this moment to race in, grabbing onto Emma and roughly tossing her back onto the bed like she was a sack of potatoes. Chaya moved out of the way, picking up the scared children and bringing them as close to her body as possible.

The nurses ripped open her nightgown, placing the paddles around the fresh incision on her chest as carefully as they possibly could. While another nurse got her pulse hooked back up to the machine. It produced a flatline. The first jolt did nothing, the second only produced a jerk. It wasn't until the fourth hit that her heart started back up again with a weak, erratic, rhythm.

"Are you the doctors?" Chaya said angrily. Chin held high. The two doctors, who had just rushed in, looked a ther. Even though they knew that a strange, new, woman was headed for town they hadn't actually expected her to show up. Strangers didn't come to storybrooke. "Answer me!"

"We are. However, who, exactly, are you?" Whale said as kindly as he could manage. While he had been the one to call her he hadn't gotten her name, she had demanded the address of the hospital in a tone that had rivaled Regina's. He'd told her, then she had promptly hung up on him.

"I am Chaya Swan. Emma's wife" Was spoken as the nurses filed out of the room, scared for their lives. Nine jaws dropped at the admission from their places on the air mattresses. "Are either of you aware of her lifelong heart condition? or did she hide those records from you as well? Do you know if she's been taking any of her medication? I doubt it. I believe she was on seven when she disappeared."

Whale and Doc stared at her. Blinking. Mouths open, as if about to speak, however, no words came out. They didn't know what to say. Trying to figure it out, while also trying to get over the shock of not only a random outsider being in their town but being Emma Swan, their dying Savior's wife. A wife she'd told absolutely no one about.

"Mommy" Whispered the slightly bigger boy as he yanked on the woman's shirt. Breaking the near silence of the room. "Mommy? Is that really Momma?" Jaws fell even further towards the ground as the little voice belonging to a little boy with white blonde hair and emerald green eyes.

"Yes my love. That is really your Momma. Right now you and your brother really need to be very quiet. Mommy needs to talk to the doctors so they can fix Momma and make her all better. Can you both do that for me?" The two little boys nodded and buried their heads into her legs.

"As far as hospital records, and the city's own records, Emma Swan has had no medical issues of any kind. As far as we knew she was the epitome of health. Considering what has happened we have come to believe she had greatly falsified this information" Whale said as he found his voice.

The woman glared at him. One fist clenching tightly. Whale wondered if she was going to punch him. Doc pushed up his glasses uncomfortably, wondering the same thing. The room was tense, the woman was livid. Even with her children there many wondered if she could start breathing fire and roasting the doctors for dinner. It was unlikely, but she reminded them all of Evil Queen Regina with how she was glaring.

"Open heart surgery four times! Emma's had heart issues since she was a baby! Though, it was around three that the true severity was learned. According to some of the best Doctors across the globe it was a miracle the medicine allowed her to live as long as she has!" Was spoken angrily, and sadly.

"I am sorry to have to tell you this. However we highly doubt that Emma is going to survive the week. Her heart continues to have attacks. Really, there isn't anything we can do medically. All we can do is keep her as comfortable as possible until the end" Was spoken grimly as Whale glanced at the floor.

"Then you find her a heart transplant. Immediately." It was spoken like the demandment of a god. The tone sending a chill down everyone's spine. Like there was absolutely no question, she fully expected them to get Emma a heart and she refused to take 'no' as an answer.

With baited, but hopeful, breaths the people watching from the ground waited for their answer. Whale had said it wasn't possible, but maybe he hadn't thought of it? It was highly unlikely, but that didn't stop them from praying to gods they knew didn't exist that a heart transplant had slipped past both his and Doc's mind.

"Not only is that list very long, but given that she hasn't been taking care of herself and has refused medication the likelihood of her being approve, let alone in time, is very slim" Whale explained slowly. Scared that this mere woman was about to whoop his ass as her eyes narrowed into thin slits.

"Boys, I want you to cover your ears so tightly you can't hear what Mommy is saying" Chaya spoke firmly. The twins did as they were told immediately. Their little hands covering over each others ears. Chaya stomped over to Whale. "I don't care what you do, you play jack the ripper and kill someone who matches her if you have to. I'll pay whatever necessary for the trouble." was growled.

Shocked everyone stared at her. Even Whale seemed overly stunned. The woman was cold. She was suggesting murder, that she'd pay for. Everyone agreed, unknowingly, that it was murder for a good cause. However. Murder was murder. Right? Unless. It could work. Then. They wondered, would they allow it to happen?

"Trust me when I say that I would kill if it meant that she had even a slim chance of survival. However. Emma. Mrs. Swan. There isn't any possibility she would survive the transplant. All one would put her into even more pain, and she'd likely flatline on the table" His words were honest, but they didn't calm the woman.

"Then I will take her somewhere else. I will hire a team of Doctors who will perform the transplant. I can have a jet here in less than an hour with a qualified medical team ready to take her to a real hospital, with real surgeons. As obviously, you are neither" Spat the angered woman.

Wounded Whale just stared at the woman as she ripped out her cellphone and began tapping away. Clearly making plans. Regina blinked, and stood up. Shaking the fog from her mind as she continued to take in the sight of the boys, of Emma, and of this woman who claimed to be Emma's wife. One she had never, not once, mentioned.

"Now you wait just a moment. Sheriff Swan is not married, never has been married" Regina spoke harshly as a scowl covered her features. She stormed over so she was standing across from Chaya, the bed between them. Glaring at this woman who thought she had some sort of claim on her sheriff.

"Not that her marital status would ever be any of your business in the first place" Chaya spat as her eyes roamed over the, admittingly, breath-taking woman. As if noticing her for the first time, then her eyes flickered to those behind her. "Who are you, and what are you doing here? This is a private room"

"Contrary to your belief it is my business. I am her employer, friend, and the mother of her only child. Acquaintance of her mo-sister and brother-in-law" She was barely able to stop herself from calling Snow Emma's mother. "If any medical decisions are to be made it is by myself" After a second Regina added "in conjunction with Mary-Margaret"

"I was her wife for eight damn years, two months, and fourteen days. We divorced because I wanted children and she did not. Emma gave me everything in the divorce, I am the mother of her twins. You are not. The son named after her, and the son whose name she chose. So don't you ever dare to tell me you have more right than I do" Was spat at Regina like a poison.

Too stunned to speak Regina just glared. Debating heavily on whether or not she could get away with strangling the woman to death, or better yet, burning her alive. She could use her as fireball practice until her whole body was alight. Regina took a deep, steadying breath and opened her mouth to yell at the woman since she knew that, realistically, she couldn't kill her.

"STOP. Just fucking stop fighting" Groaned out Emma. "It's enough to wake the mother fucking dead" Was added before another groan. The woman was attempting to yank the wires and things back out of her arms when she realized her arms were strapped down. "Seriously ladies? Bondage? Aren't I the one who's supposed to tie you down?"

"Do NOT even make me start with you in this moment Emma Ashden Swan" Hissed out Chaya. "Make these. People. Leave so I may discuss with you things of a private matter. I can put headphones on the twins, alright." It was clearly a demand, not a debate, and nothing was up for discussion.

Letting out a whine of disapproval Emma clenched her eyes shut and dropped her head back down onto the pillow. Wishing she could throw an arm over her eyes and pretend this whole fucking pile of shit wasn't happening. But it was. So. She opened her eyes held her head up and balanced on her elbows as best she could.

"Screw the headphones. Have Dad watched them" Emma glanced around waringly. Her brow furrowing as she did. "Wait. Chaya, where is dad? Surely if you brought them with you he would have come as well" Emma moved her gaze to Chaya's sad expression. Her heart beginning to ache, and her stomach filling with dread.

Dad? Emma was willingly calling some Dad? She didn't even call David by that when she had thought they were going to die. Snow had gotten a grand total of one 'Mom' during their four nearly deadly missions. And this man they'd never heard of already had two? David ground his teeth together and Snow felt betrayed.

Carefully Chaya sat on the bed. Leaning over Emma to stare down into her eyes as she fell back down on her back. She stared sadly down at her, trying to find the words to say. Silence fell as they looked at each other. Not knowing what to say. Fear and sadness in Emma's eyes, the same reflected back at her.

"Honey, Emma. Dad. Baby. He died last year. We tried, so hard, to find you. God, ever since you disappeared. And Dad. He asked for you, but in the end. He just couldn't hold out forever. This town, did you know it doesn't even technically exist? Must be why you know it, you knew my money wouldn't be able to lead me here" She touched Emma's face softly.

"No" Choked out Emma. "Dad. Our Dad. He was so strong." Her voice cracked as she spoke, horror splashed against her face. "He can't have. He's my dad, Chaya. Our dad. He can't be gone. Not without saying goodbye." It was beyond clear she was distraught by this information. One hand clutched onto the woman staring sadly down at her.

It took all of Regina's strength not to roast the woman's hair off as she kissed Emma softly. Before pressing her forehead against hers. Staring intently into her eyes. Before placing another small kiss upon Emma's lips. She reverted back to her original position. Holding Emma's hand tightly.

"I know he was honey. It was just his time, his life. He'd lived one he'd loved. Please don't blame yourself, don't be angry with yourself either. Don't blame yourself, please. He never would have wanted that" Squeezing Emma's hand as she spoke, soothing Emma as best she could with her words.

As if sensing what Emma needed Chaya unlocked the straps over her wrists. Emma surged upwards and grabbed the woman tightly. Wrapping her arms around her and burying her face in her neck. The woman rubbed her back softly as Emma held onto her as if she'd fall into a million tiny shards if Chaya let go.

"If I had known, you know I would have come home. I would have seen him. I would have stayed with him until the very end. I would have done that for him a thousand times over. I would have done almost anything for him. Dad knew that. Right?" Emma begged, her voice pleading. Her head in Chaya's chest, but everyone heard her muffled words.

Evidence that these two indeed knew each other intimately was piling up. That did not stop most people in the room, Regina more than anyone, from hoping that they were just friends. Nothing more. That Emma wouldn't have hid a wife, or children, from them. Or in Regina's case, just the fact that she had married someone else. Loved someone else. That hurt far deeper, and Regina didn't want to know why.

"Dad was a smart man hon. He knew you would have, he knew" She stressed. "And he never, not once, was angry with you. Never stopped loving you, just like I haven't. He'd absolutely hate what you are doing now, he tried to wait for you to come home to us. I swear." Her words were like a promise.

"I hope so" Emma said as she clutched onto Chaya's shoulders and moved to look her in the eyes. "I love him, I can never stop. He was the only dad I ever knew. The only one I would, could, ever want" Emma closed her eyes. Not realizing how her words cut at David's heart. Not that she'd really care if she did.

Then Emma initiated the kiss. It was slow, heated, familiar, and loving. It made Regina's heart stop. One of Emma's hands was behind Chaya's head, the other arm wrapped around her waist holding her close. Then she pulled their mouths apart, pressing her forehead against the other woman's and smiled sadly.

"You haven't kissed me like that in far too long" Said Chaya breathlessly. "I missed you so much. We've all missed you too much. I needed you, Dad needed you and you weren't there." She said as she grabbed onto Emma's face and kissed her again.

Once again they kissed slowly. Emma allowing the other woman to lead. It wasn't the kind of kiss you give your mother, but it wasn't a kiss that would lead to them having sex right there in the hospital. It was a kiss that spoke of the past, of a love that went beyond the physical, of years spent together.

"I'm so sorry. I really am. I loved you both so much. But you need to leave Chaya. Take them with you. Go wherever you want. Go back to Paris, to Tokyo, London, Cardiff, anywhere. Be happy with them, but don't ever come for me again" Emma told her with a stern voice, her eyes apologetic.

"I won't ever leave you to die! This. This. This is just you giving up, killing yourself. I love you Emma! I always have! I stood by you after that rotten Neal raped you! I was the one to nurse you back to health. I fought for you to be allowed a late stage abortion due to the rape and your heart condition. I visited you twice a week in prison. I have always been there for you, the only time I wasn't was because you ran from me. I was pregnant and I needed you. And you just up and left. On your birthday of all days" Chaya said angrily.

"Can't tell Henry that. Chaya he can't know. Henry can never know who his dad was" Emma said as she slumped against the darker haired woman. Her eyes fluttered shut. She hadn't noticed the other people, hadn't noticed Henry watching and listening. Staying quiet and small so he wouldn't get kicked out. "No one knows about Henry"

"Stay awake. Emma I need you. Emmett and Asael need you" Chaya said as she laid Emma down. Her eyes fluttered open, but quickly shut. "Baby, tell me who Henry is. Stay awake love" Emma's head flopped to the side. "Emma, stay awake and tell me about this Henry. Look at me baby. Don't fall asleep" She choked out.

"That man's son. Regina's son. Neal's son. Henry is Neal's boy" Emma whispered as she managed to look up at Chaya one last time. "He can never know" Her eyes slammed shut, and this time the monitors started to go crazy as her heart came to a stop, the nurses coming rushing inside. Ripping Chaya off the bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will post two chapters daily until all are posted.


	3. Chapter 3

After the nurses had managed to, once again, get Emma's heart started the group decided it would be best to just let Emma rest, even if everyone was reluctant to leave her side. Chaya needed to know who the fuck these people thought they were, and the group needed to know who these children, this woman were. They all needed to know what was going on, so they decided Granny's would be a suitable middle ground.

"The boys are twins right? They are her sons?" Regina said as she eyed the boys carefully. They were fully engrossed in their own little world. Greedily eating the piles of graham crackers, grapes, and cups of milk Granny had placed in front of them. The hospital had no cafeteria, so, the diner served as the only eating option.

"Yes" Chaya looked at her boys with love and adoration. Before eyeing Regina. "Her eggs and my dad's sperm. You are the mayor. And you adopted that boy" Regina flinched with how she referred to Henry. Who was still at the hospital, in the waiting room, crying into his grandfather's arms. "You are her older sister, and lastly, you are her best friend slash deputy?" Her eyes danced between people as she spoke.

"That is all true" Ruby sighed out. "Emma's our Sheriff. She. She's just. I don't. I" Ruby stopped trying to talk at that point, deciding it was best to leave that up to the mayor because she simply didn't know what to say. Belle hugged her wife, she could understand her pain. She loved Emma too.

Silence crept into the diner like the plague. Enveloping everything, and everyone in it's grasp. Eyes glanced around awkwardly. Each being trying, desperately, to find what to say next. All were confused, startled, scared, and beyond completely mindfucked with the events of the past day. Chaya included. Only the two little boys seemed, for the most part, unaffected.

"I see." Was stated slowly as Chaya's eyes narrowed, her anger apparent. "What exactly do you know about my Emma? Do you even truly know anything about her at all?" Regina hated that this woman, even as Emma's ex-wife, tried to claim Emma. Although she bit her tongue, she didn't need to start a fight. Yet.

There was an abundance of accusation in the tone the newcomer used. It was clear that she thought they knew nothing. And really, was she wrong? What did they actually know about Emma's past beyond the fact she'd given Henry up for adoption? That she was a bounty hunter? That she'd spent some time in jail? All stuff they could learn from a google search, nothing of real value.

"Well. Truthfully. We don't know that much about her past. We do know that Henry found her in Boston, on her twenty-eighth birthday. That she spend eight months in jail, as well as growing up into the foster care system." Belle spoke softly. "Emma doesn't like to talk about her past, we've done our best to respect her wishes." Which was true, but then, they'd never thought to pry in the first place.

The clenching of the woman's fists didn't go unnoticed by a single pair of eyes. Belle's words, while kind, honest, and soft spoken had angered her. They really couldn't blame her. Chaya's eyes, face, hell her entire body was screaming to everyone that she'd like nothing more than to strangle them all to a painful and breathless death. Or worse, which, was the truth. The woman couldn't believe that none of them had cared enough to learn anything real about the woman she still loved.

"Then you know NOTHING" Was spat at them like the poison from a venomous viper. "I have known that magnificent woman since I was twelve and she was half that! There is not a thing I don't know about her! We met when I had run away from home, and gotten myself lost in the big city! Ending up climbing a tree after a humongous dog had chased me!"

Angrily Chaya went on to tell them about how the dog had continued to bark, growl and attempt to get at her. How she had been terrified. How, at twelve years old, she had been certain she was going to die, alone, up in that tree. Then Emma had shown up, barking and growling and she had managed to shoo the dog away.

How at that point Chaya had found she was scared of heights, and couldn't get down. She told them how Emma had laughed at that information, and rather than run off and find an adult to help the older girl she'd simply climbed right on up and talked and helped Chaya down to the ground. Even helped Chaya get home.

The story continued. Skipping to the point where they had met for the second time. When Chaya had been nineteen. She'd been volunteering at Boston General, the very same hospital that the thirteen year old Savior had just happened to be receiving treatment at. How Chaya's job was to spend time with patients who had little to no family, how she'd walked into Emma's room and knew at once who the girl was.

Telling the group how Emma had recognized her as well. How they had talked about just about anything and everything and became friends. The day that Emma was released Chaya had slipped her ways to contact her, and how they had called each other, met up, or sent letters to each other after that.

Everyone was captivated by the story. Listening about how Chaya's father had tried long and hard to adopt the sickly teenager to save her from her unsavory, and long list, of foster and group homes. Trying to, at the least, just foster her. Listening to how the state had laughed in the openly gay, single, jewish man's face. How, not even his wealth, could get the state to change their minds.

Of course when it came time to tell them about how some madman had been pissed off that Emma had continually refused his advances he had stalked her, overpowered her, and raped her. Thus creating Henry. When she told them that everyone cringed save the two little ones who didn't fully understand what they were hearing.

Their obvious discomfort at hearing this part of the tale didn't stop her from telling them all how Emma had tracked him down and killed him a few days later. How he had continued to stalk her, intent on re-enacting their 'lovemaking' as he had called it. That Emma had received a shortened sentence of only a year, eight months with good behavior, due to the circumstances. Though Regina's urge to kill her grew tenfold when Chaya told them how she had a team of lawyer fight for the state to allow Emma a late stage abortion.

They continued to listen silently as Chaya told them how she had, apparently, tried to fight off Emma's advances until the younger woman was eighteen. How Emma had grabbed her on her birthday and told her 'Just one kiss, and if you don't like it, then I'll never try again'. One kiss was all it took, it was then that Chaya knew she'd never have enough of Emma.

Nine weeks later they had been legally married, it was only a few weeks after Henry was born. They had married quickly to try and make that time a good one, rather than a bad one. How together they had celebrated being rid of Henry, and of a prison. Loving each other, and their father. Of course Chaya never called Henry by name. She referred to him as the 'parasite' or the 'thing'.

"It sounds like, despite her incarcerations and how Henry came to be, that you were both very much in love. Perhaps even before she was of age, even if you never acted on it. From what I understand you were both extremely happy with each other" Belle said with a smile, she was a sucker for love. Chaya returned her smile and nodded, glancing at her sons.

"We were so brilliantly happy. We were amazing together, we went all over the world. I can't remember a time we weren't happy. At least, until I couldn't hide the fact that I had always wanted a child. That I always would, and that I wanted a child with her. That was when everything we built came crashing down around us" She said sadly as she ran a hand through one of the boys hair.

"Granny why don't you take these two super hungry munchkins over to the counter and get them jumbo bowls of ice cream, and maybe something to color" Ruby said as Chaya paused. Ruby understood why she had, the kids weren't paying attention but there are some things you just can't say in front of your children.

The boys climbed over their mother and Granny scooped them both up into her arms. They were excited as she promised them their favorite flavor of ice cream, taking them to the other end of the building. Plopping them down and handing them some paper and some crayons before disappearing into the kitchen for strawberry ice cream for the smaller one, and banana for the other.

"She never wanted children, even before the parasite. Too scared that whatever she had was genetic even though the doctors assured us they didn't believe it was. Not that they ever really know what it was that she has. So, we had her embryos harvested. But shortly after she backed out. We fought for over a year before she made me a deal" Chaya paused again. Wiping at a tear.

In no way was Regina amused. She hated Chaya with a passion that rivaled the hatred that she once held for Snow. Strike that, she hated Chaya more than she had ever hated Snow. And she didn't know why. Nor did she know why she felt betrayed when Belle reached out and squeezed the strangers hand in a friendly manner.

"It's going to be alright. No one is judging you" Regina held back a snort at Belle's words, as did Snow. Everyone besides perhaps Belle was judging the woman in at least some manner. "We are listening whenever you are ready to finish" Chaya gave her a grateful nod before opening her mouth once more.

"The deal was I grant her a divorce, and I could have her baby. Under the condition that she never had to know him or her. As long as she got literally nothing in the divorce. We kept in minimal contact after, I tried so hard to win her back. But then she just vanished" Her voice broke as she whispered the last sentence.

"So what are you? Thirty-five? Thirty-six?" Regina asked as she eyed the woman up, then down. Sizing her. Chaya was beautiful, intelligent, rich. The complete package. Regina's passionate hatred for her only grew. "The twins, you called them Emmett and Asael? How old are they?"

"Nearing thirty-six. We divorced when I was thirty-two, and she was twenty-five. I didn't even try to get pregnant until a year after the divorce. I got pregnant on my second try. They were three months old when she went away. They will be three in ten weeks. Emmett and Asael are their names" With a smile she glanced over to where her boys were covered in pink and yellow ice cream. "Emma would have loved them, she never had anything to fear. Their hearts are strong. Completely healthy. I have them checked monthly"

When they had learned all that they possible could they bid Chaya farewell and Granny caught a ride with her and the twins to the bed and breakfast. The elderly woman was the only one, besides Belle, who didn't want to run this ex-wife out of town. She set her up in her best double room, feeling dread creep up in her old wolf bones. This Chaya had a darkness around her, and Granny had to wonder if her life was to be short if she was going to snap herself.

Everyone other than Granny headed over to the pawn shop. If anyone in this Goddess forsaken town could save Emma then it was Rumplestiltskin. While the man always had a cost Regina was damn well willing to trade just about anything, even her own soul should she still have one, to save her. That, and if Gold could wipe that bitch Chaya's memory well that would suit Regina just fine.

"This is not a natural disease of the heart" The uncomfortable man said as he glanced the woman over. Snow's, and Regina's, eyes widened with newfound hope. "If I am correct then I would say that this is from the separation of the most powerful, the rarest love of all. A love that I previously believed was little more than legend." His voice was filled with awe.

"True love?" Asked an incredibly confused Snow. Everyone knew about that. Rumple gave her an appalled look. Like she had just eaten bird shit or some other vile, disgusting act. Then again, he supposed, that he should expect such pure stupidity from one of the famous idiot 'charming' duo.

Being the other half of the idiot brigade David was the only one not giving Snow an identical look to the one the Dark One was giving her. While they didn't know what he was talking about they were pretty much clear on the fact he wasn't talking about True love, even BABIES knew about true love. It was the first thing they learned about.

"Of course not you" Gold bit his tongue, he didn't need to start world war: enchanted edition in the middle of the hospital. "No. The rarest, most unheard of form of love is stronger, and infinitely more powerful than true love. It's a love so strong, that it's. It has no name. I've lived for nearly a thousand years and never seen it" The way he looked at Emma in that moment unnerved everyone in the room.

He continued to stare at Emma with this look of intrigue, fascination, and sadness as he told them how only a child of true love, like Emma, could ever possibly achieve that type of love. How at birth her heart was given wholly, fully, and without question to her love without ever meeting. Almost as if their very souls intertwined.

That this bonding must have completed in the short time that Emma was in the old world. That Emma's condition was likely due to the barrier that separated the world from massive but tiny town in Maine. That Emma growing up on the wrong side of the barrier took it's damage out on the girls' heart.

With this grim news came hope. Rumple was convinced that the kiss of her intended love were to kiss her. If the town could track this person down, and convince them to kiss Emma. Then there was a large chance that she could be cured. However, there was a downside. If the wrong person kissed her it would certainly be the kiss of death. The only reason Chaya had been able to do it was Emma wasn't in this state, and possibly because she wasn't from their world.

"What about fairy dust? Won't that tell us who she belongs too?" Regina scowled, as if Emma could ever be owned. "If we can find him then he can kiss her, it will save her, she will wake up. Fairy dust is the only way to find true love so it just has to work!" Rambled an anxious Snow White.

Silence wrapped itself around everyone as Snow hugged herself tightly. She needed her daughter to survive and she was close to losing her grip on reality. The information that had been piled on top of her over the past day was tearing her apart. Not only had her child had a relationship with a woman, she had children. She had a life threatening condition that was killing her.

Add that to the fact that by sending Emma away not only had she lived a life of pain, loneliness, and sorrow. She had separated her from a love so true that it outranked her own, a love that was so rare it had no name. A separation that was literally killing her daughter, and had been doing so slowly her entire life. A fate that had she just kept her instead of throwing her away wouldn't be affecting Emma.

"There is only one way that I believe we can find the woman that Emma loves." Snow scowled at his words. "And even then there is no guarantee it will even work. Unfortunately it will require a person who is pure of heart, that loves Emma, to pay the ultimate price. They will need to take the life of a person that Emma has loved during her time on this earth"

Even if it was just a possibility no one thought murdering for the sake of saving Emma was wrong. Almost everyone in the room was willing to do it. The sheriff was their savior, their daughter, their friend. Albeit she was closed off, hid her past, and honestly most thing from them, but they all loved her all the same. Accept her as she was, well beside the girl loving part, no matter what her paranoid personality was.

"I can do it! I can kill for her! So she may find her husband" Snow said firmly as David wrapped his arms around her. "But, whose life should I take? It must be someone that's death won't hurt anyone. What do I need to do?" Her eyes pleaded with Rumple for answers. He let out a long sigh, running a hand through his hair.

"That will do us absolutely no good. Snow, you murdered Cora. Ruby, David. They have both killed. Yes to protect friends, and for their lives and kingdom. But any life taken breaks a person's innocence. That leave only two in this room that love Emma who are still pure of heart, still have that innocence needed." They stared at him, awaiting an answer. "Belle. And Henry" The man admitted softly and reluctantly.

"Henry!" Declared Snow who surged forward and grabbed onto the startled boy's shoulders. Rumple glared at the action, the hand not around his cane turning into a fist. "He loves her the most out of anyone, he can do this!"

Gaping Regina just stared at Snow as Henry looked scared for his very own life. He was a child, a boy. And she wanted to send him down the path of darkness before he could fully comprehend the consequences of the actions? There was no way that she was going to allow her son to make such a sacrifice at such an age, even if she desperately needed Emma alive. Before she could rip Snow a new asshole for such a suggestion someone else was screaming.

"NO" Spat Rumple. "I not once ever contemplated admitting this to anyone, let alone aloud." He stopped. "I knew who Henry's father was before he was even born. Admittedly I made sure that man was put to death for what he had done. I had searched for so long, but I wished in the end, so badly, that I hadn't found him. I am the Dark One, but what my Bae, what Neal, did to those women. Did to Emma"

Teeth grinding together Rumple looked away in shame as he stopped speaking. The pure shame of being his son's father had never been greater, as before, only he had known the truth of his precious sons actions. Now everyone else did too. He had always known he could never repay Emma for what his son had done to her, what he had taken from her. Until now he could pretend Baelfire and Neal were two separate beings, but he couldn't deny that they were the same person anymore.

"What?" Was said so softly you could barely understand it. "What are you saying?" His words broke an uncomfortable silence. Henry was still not over learning that his father hadn't been the glorified dead firefighter his mother had told him about. That he was, in fact, a rapist. Could it be worse? Those women? Henry paled as he wondered if that mean his father had raped more than just his mother.

"I brought Henry here, not for the reason you all assume. You are all under the assumption that I brought Henry to lure Emma here. But that wasn't the reason. I brought the boy here because he's my grandson. I made sure to give him to someone that I knew could love him, care for him, to help him stay away from the dark paths that I fell down. Or worse, the path that his father chose to take" Rumple looked at Henry then. Sadness, sorrow, guilt, love and pleading shining in his eyes. The biggest emotion however was the shame. "I can not allow Henry to ever lose his innocence. The consequences could be too dire. Darkness, the worst possible darkness, lays in his blood"

This was shocking news to everyone involved. No one had put two and two together, not even Regina who knew who Baelfire was had put together the puzzle. Not until Rumple had spelled it out to them. With each new branch Henry's family tree was twisting and turning in a variety of weird, crazy, and impossible ways. Stunned silence wrapped around all of them as Henry wrapped his arms around Regina and buried his face into her stomach.


	4. Chapter 4

Family tree's sucked as far as anyone in the room, especially Henry, was concerned. One of his mother's used to be the Evil queen. She also happened to be his step great grandmother. The other mother was the Savior. One set of his grandparents was the infamous, and slightly idiotic, Snow White and Prince Charming. His father was a rapist, not to mention the son of the Dark One.

Another set of grandparents was the previously immortal Dark One, and a woman who had abandoned her husband and son for a pirate. The last set was the Queen of heart who was an abusive bitch, and a man who was too much of a wimp to protect his only child. This was entirely too much for him to handle, and yet it was all fact. He could change nothing about it.

Before anyone could get themselves too lost in thought Regina suggested that they should leave and discuss everything in a more comfortable, not to mention more private, area. They ended up in Belle and Ruby's home. The wolf's arm wrapped around her wife's waist as they sat close together. An hour of talking and none of them could figure out their next move.

"I told you!" Sobbed out Belle. "I simply cannot kill someone. Especially the mother of two children. Logically I agree that she's the best choice, but, I just can't kill anyone. I am so sorry, I wish I could, but I can't" Belle wiped her eyes. "I just can't" She shook her head and clutched onto herself.

"It's the only way we have a chance to save Emma! Someone who loves her must kill someone she's loved. You heard Rumple!" Snow waved her hands desperately as she stared at Ruby. "Please, Ruby, please, don't you see this is the only way. Help me, help Emma!"

As much as the wolf wished she could, she just could not answer Snow's question. She was torn, if she could take on this burden she would do so without hesitation. But. Belle was more innocent than most, even flies were caught into a net and released outside. To have her kill anything, especially a human being, was out of the question. Though, Emma did need to be saved.

"I will do it" Said a voice, and all eyes turned quickly to eye their new savior. "As long as it is not someone I know personally" Cinderella, of all people, stood. Looking awkward and scared. She had let herself into the house. "I stopped in to check on Emma and the dark one informed me of what was going on. I am pure of heart, innocent, and I do love our savior. Especially after what she did to save my Alexandria, what she did for me, even before the curse was broken. I owe her so much more than this, but this is something I can do"

"I wish I could do it for her" Thomas said as he squeezed her hand. "Even though I have taken no life, my innocence was lost long ago. The Dark One checked both of us. We knew that Belle could never live with the guilt something like this will cause, but together we can. Belle is simply too pure."

The woman in question jumped from her seat and hugged Cinderella tightly, tears silently streaming down her cheeks. Relief washing over Snow, Ruby, and the librarian. They had someone capable, and willing to commit the ultimate sin to save the life of a woman they loved. As Belle, as much as she wished she could simply take a life, could not no matter the circumstances.

"Thank you, thank you so much" Was said sincerely as Belle quite near squeezed the life out of the princess. Ruby shook Thomas's hand, and gave Cinderella an appreciative nod before she pried her wife off of her and hugged her tightly. They were elated at the wonderful news that her beloved wouldn't be forced to take a life, yet still sad that someone needed to kill, and that someone still needed to die.

Cinderella found herself outside of Granny's diner. Heart in her throat, pounding inside of her like a jackhammer. On one hand she couldn't believe what she was about to do. On the other she knew that this was the right thing to do for everyone save the woman who was about to meet her end.

It took her a few minutes to find the courage to head inside. The gun feeling like lava in her hands, but she only tightened her grip. Welcoming the phantom pain, it reminded her of why she had to do this. Why she was willing to do this. She owed Emma so much, and she would be damned if she simply let her die when there was a way to save her.

After what seemed like a thousand stairs the princess from another land, the bride of Thomas, the mother of Alexandria, found herself outside of Chaya's room. Her hands were shaking. She was holding the gun like Regina showed her, the way Emma had once showed Regina. Both hands. Then she realized, she couldn't knock like that.

As she stared at the gun in her hands. She realized she couldn't kill Chaya in front of her children, what if they were awake? Yes there was a silencer but no child should have to see their mother die. So she tucked it into her jeans and pulled her shirt down over it. Then she knocked, hoping this woman would do as she asked.

A knocking at the door had pulled the tired woman from the bed. Her sons were sleeping soundly, but she had been having troubles. Running her hands through her hair she wondered just who could be knocking on her door, especially after ten at night. A feeling of dread settled in the lowest cavern of her stomach. She wondered if there could be something wrong with Emma? The thought chilled her worse than any winter ever had.

Opening the door her eyebrows crinkled in confusion. Chaya had not yet met the woman who was standing there, an odd unreadable expression adorning her young features. So when this strange woman asked, kindly, if they could talk in the hall Chaya had nodded, closing the door softly behind her as they walked down the hallway.

When the mother of two had noticed the woman was no longer next to her she had turned around. Her brown eyes growing wide at the gun now held in the blonde's hands. Hands that were shaking violently. The trigger was pulled before the older woman could even ask why.

Chaya grabbed at her lower abdomen where the first bullet had slid into her body, not understanding what was going on. Certainly not why it was happening, she had never seen the blonde before. Never offended her as far as she knew. She couldn't understand, so she stared forward. Pain on her face.

"What are you-" Chaya couldn't finish her sentence as Cinderella's fingers pulled back on the trigger a second time. This bullet hit her in the chest. Chaya fell back against the wall before sliding to the ground, the last thing she saw and heard was her killer crying and telling her she was sorry.

The moment Cinderella texted him and told him it was done Gold arrived in a swirl of smoke. Immediately descending down upon the body, pulling several vials of her blood as Thomas stumbled from the form of transportation and slowly took his sobbing love away. Ruby and David came racing up the stairs. Regina walked briskly behind them.

Everything had gone to plan. At least, they had a plan for clean up. Ruby and David carried the woman's body out to her own car, as Regina slipped into watch over the sleeping children. She was grateful for not only the silencer, but that Cinderella had thought to pull Chaya away from them. Leaving Gold to transport himself home to make sure the blood was kept safely.

By the time Gold showed up the Charming couple and the wolf had managed to get the body placed perfectly into her car, onto the right road. As previously planned. Rumple carefully controlled the car at the right speeds to produce a deadly crash that wouldn't damage the body to badly.

They needed the crash to cover her death, for the town, but most importantly for Emma. However, the Dark One needed parts so they needed her dead prior to impact for the best results. Once everything was done just right Snow called the accident into Ruby, who then waited the normal time it would take to get to the scene before beginning to take pictures and collecting evidence.

Pictures that were taken at the right angles to keep from showing the true cause of death. All evidence gathered would be that of a tired woman, coffee, some of which was spilled down her shirt. Everything was going to plan, even Whale showed up alone as he was supposed to.

Doctor Whale was the only one outside of the group who would know. They needed a doctor to perform the autopsy, or rather be the one they said did the autopsy. Then when they were done with her body he would be the one to cremate Chaya's leftover remains. It was a sick thing that had to be done, but everyone believed it to be for the greater good.

As far as anyone in or outside of the town was concerned, as far as Emma, the twins or anyone not in the tight knit trusted circle of people would ever know the woman had died in a fatal crash caused by a lethal combination of rain and sleep deprivation. Her sacrifice, as unwilling as it had been, would guarantee Emma's survival.

Two days. That was what Gold spent tirelessly to properly mix Chaya's blood, portions of her heart, grinded dust from her certain bones, and a pinch of her burned ashes into the right concoction. Once that was done he had dropped in some of Cinderella's, and Emma's, blood. Before swirling in the last ingredient under Tink's supervision, fairy dust. Brewing it to just the right consistency and color.

When all was said and done four perfect vials were made. There was no way for him to ever make anymore. The list of people Emma loved were slim, and all the others would have to many family members asking questions. That's not even mentioning the list of people who loved Emma that were wholly innocent was nearly as slim as the list of people Emma loved. Not to mention how many of those would be willing to kill for her.

Four vials would have to be enough. Hopefully it would be, as long as the first one worked and no one stupidly dropped one he should have an extra so that if Emma ever demanded more proof he would be able to show her. Of course, he'd have to come up with an excuse of why there was only so much of the thing, why he couldn't make it for everyone, without telling her the truth.

"The way this is going to work, as far as I have been able to construct and figure out, is Emma will appear at her last innocent moment. The last moment before darkness swept into her and took hold on her heart. She will have no memories of her current self. Mentally speaking she will be whatever age she appears as. But, she will be able to communicate to us as if she were the correct age. Truthfully, personally, speaking I am afraid of what we are about to see" With that Gold glanced at Tink.

"What we think will happen is this, likely younger, version of Emma will walk to whomever her true love is. She will mark them over their hearts, how we aren't sure. We just know that they will be marked when she finds them. So we will have to follow her no matter how far she has to travel" Tink finished, nodding at Gold.

On breathless lungs everyone watched as the older man opened Emma's mouth and slowly poured the sparkling mercury looking liquid down her throat. Then, they waited. They were beginning to lose hope when a tiny, young, blonde haired little girl with green eyes appeared next to Emma. Snow let out a choked sob at just how young her daughter was, she looked no older than three at the oldest.

Slowly the little girl began to sit up, her eyes scrunching together. Nose crinkling, bottom lip quivering. This baby form of Emma looked scared and confused. Her eyes scanning everyone around the room for several minutes before she swung her short little legs over the edge of the bed and carefully lowered herself down.

What was even worse was the tiny little Emma before them was covered in bruises, burns, and marks from hands and belts alike. She looked liked she'd just gotten done being beaten and tortured. Baby Emma was naked save for a pair of superman boys toddler underwear that clung to her bony frame. She took a few steps forward, hugging herself as she did so. Flinching and becoming still as someone dared to move.

It took several more minutes of the people in the room not so much as moving a muscle for her to move again. She moved slowly, carefully. Taking small steps with her little feet. Emma was headed towards the door, but she diverted her path at the very last possible second. Coming to a dead stop directly in front of Regina.

Dull green eyes looked up into Regina's frightened brown orbs. Emma's entire body was shaking like a leaf, but as time passed the shaking came to a stop. As if she was calmed by something, but whatever that was had Regina ready to bolt out the door a mere eighteen inches to her left.

"Will you protect me?" Baby Emma asked, her voice cracking as she did so. Her voice was soft, scared, and almost pleading. A scared, unwanted, look upon her face. The entire thing broke Regina's heart, not to mention everyone else in the room.

"Of course I will" Regina said, feeling the urge to care for Emma. Not understanding what was going on. But if this little Emma needed a friend to take her to her true love she would play the part. "There is not a person in this room who wouldn't do the same."

"Will you make them stop hurting me?" The little girls eyes went downward as she spoke, looking at her own stomach where marks were plentiful. "I hurt" She placed a hand over her heart and sniffled. "I hurt bad. Lots."

"I will, I promise. I won't let anyone hurt you ever again" It was said with such confidence that it surprised everyone in the room. "No one will hurt you I promise. How old are you baby? Can you tell me?" Regina asked softly.

Little Emma stared up at her for several seconds, appraising Regina. Like she was reading her very soul. All Regina wanted to do was kidnap little Emma and find her a good home where she would be loved and cared for, somewhere where she wouldn't hurt like she obviously was now.

"They all say that, they all promise. Do you mean it?" The baby form of Emma finally asked. "I am two years old, eight months, and seventeen days old in my current state" Was rattled off. The age was stated in a robotic monotone. A condition of the potion.

This information just broke everyone's hearts further. Belle buried her face into her wife's chest, Snow let out a whimper as David gripped her arm to comfort her. Regina's teeth ground together. Wishing to go back and murder each and every person who had dared to hurt the innocent child before her.

"I would never lie about something like that" She said firmly. Regina wanted to ask what was going on, wanted to know why the toddler before her was about to let darkness inside of her. However she just couldn't bring herself to ask. She was simply to afraid of the answer she would receive.

Once more Emma seemed to process Regina's words. Then she covertly as she could glanced back at the group of people still watching the scene. All wondering what was going on, although there was an odd suspicious look upon the dark one's face. Emma took a step closer to Regina before staring back up into her eyes.

"Will you save me Regina?" The fact she knew Regina's name was lost on the woman, but not on anyone else. Once more green eyes seemed to drill into brown. Regina's very heart felt like it stopped beating from the look on the girls face, a look no child, no being, should ever have.

"I will. Everyone here will. We will protect you, we will save you" Was promised strongly. Regina's heart clenched, feeling the confused eyes of everyone in the room roam over her body. Roam over the girl before her. She was confused herself, but her only priority in that moment was baby Emma.

Once again baby Emma stopped to just stare and assess the woman in front of her, silence permeated the air. Then she took two steps forwards. So she was nearly touching Regina. She glanced at the floor before letting out a deep, scared, breath and looking back up at the woman.

"Will you hold me?" Baby Emma asked quietly, her words barely registering. She stopped hugging herself, and raised her arms out. Physically asking to be held, waiting in fear and hope for Regina's answer.

Without stopping to think about her actions Regina picked up the baby version of Emma, hugging her tightly. While also being careful of the wounds covering nearly all of her skin. The toddler version of the blonde held onto her just as tightly for several silent minutes before she pulled away. Cocking her head to the side, and smiling at Regina.

Then the little Emma put one hand over Regina's heart. Her hand glowed brightly as she did. Leaving behind a red glowing handprint when she removed her little fingers. Emma smiled a little brighter, then she lifted a finger to her lips and then she was gone. As if she had never been there in the first place. The only evidence that she had been was the tiny red glowing handprint that rested over Regina's heart.

"No. This. It's. The potion. It. It's wrong" Regina said adamantly as everyone looked at her. Many in shock, though none in as much shock as Regina herself. "As much as I hate it I am supposed to be with Robin, he has the lion tattoo. That's who I was led to, Gold. He screwed up!"

The fact that she had broken up with Robin basically the second that Emma had shown up in the hospital was not something she truly wished to point out at that moment. Regina couldn't dare to believe, dare to hope that in any universe that Emma could possibly love her back. Couldn't dare to hope that fate hadn't saddled her with one of the most annoying and fake men she had ever encountered.

"A lion tattoo?" Ruby said as she scratched at her chin and cocked her head to the side. Something she'd picked up from older Emma. She smirked. "Do you mean like this one?" With that Ruby lifted up Emma's shirt to reveal a Simba tattoo on Emma's left ribcage.

"Gold screwed up the potions. She can't possibly love me. That's just. The savior and the Evil Queen. It makes absolutely no sense. And if I were to kiss her she would die. It's. It's. It's" Regina crossed her arms, huffed. "It's simply not possible"


	5. Chapter 5

"Emma is crashing!" Whale's voice was frantic as he screamed at Regina at the top of his lungs. Angry at her. "She's not responding at all, you have seconds Regina. I can't keep her heart beating any longer. This is your final chance. Kiss her now, because you will never have an opportunity to again."

A team of nurses, Doc, and Whale had been struggling to revive Emma for seventeen torturous minutes. The closest they'd gotten was to get her heart to give a few struggled beats before flatlining again. Her eyes had fluttered open once, only to immediately close before a second had even passed. Emma was dying, this was her end. That was clear to everyone in the room.

Three days prior was when the potion had been used. A red mark in the shape of a tiny hand was still imprinted on the woman's skin, above her heart. It glowed, so much so you could see it through three layers of clothing. It was a constant reminder of the potions effects. No matter what Regina had tried it stayed there. Like a tattoo.

Every time she looked down or saw herself in a mirror she was reminded of the little girl, the infant form of Emma, that had come to her. The feel of her in her arms, the way her hand had felt against her as she had marked her. The memory of baby Emma begging for her protection and love seared at the forefront of her mind.

Frozen. Everything in the room seemed to come to a sudden halt. All that could go through Regina's brain was Emma was really dying. This time was the final time, there was no going back. No going forward. She didn't know what to do, what to believe. All she knew was that she loved Emma, and she couldn't sit back and do nothing.

These thoughts didn't even register, they were just pure emotion coursing through her veins. Regina stormed towards the bed, shoving a nurse to the floor with no regard for her. Not caring that she quite probably broke the woman's wrist. She didn't care about anyone in the room save the woman on the bed. The other nurses and doctors backed away.

Letting out a strangled breath Regina grabbed onto the blonde's face, leaning down slowly. Feeling everyone's eyes on her as she brushed her lips softly against Emma's. Praying to deities she knew couldn't exist that somehow Rumple had been right. Memorizing the feel of Emma's chapped lips against her own.

Slowly Regina pulled away eyes filled with tears she wouldn't dare to let fall in front of the idiots who had gathered inside of the room. Black and purple mist filled the room as a shock wave crashed through the room. Both spreading out through the entire town. Knocking everyone in the room to their asses. This was four times as strong as the one that had occurred when Emma had kissed Henry awake all that time ago.

Previously the heart monitor had been a screeching dead line. There had been no movement, not even the slightest change when they had pressed the paddles to her chest. It had stated across it's screen that Emma was dead and there was nothing anyone could ever do to change that fact.

Now. Now there was a steady heartbeat going across. The line jumping up like it would for your normal healthy heart. It was as if there had never been a problem in the first place. Emma's heart was working, better than it had the entire time she'd been in the hospital. Regina pulled away, taking two steps back. Too stunned to do anything but just stare at the blonde.

"What er ya do en Wegina?" Mumbled the blonde as she cracked one eye halfway open sleeping. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, wetting the entire thing best she could before letting out a huge yawn. "Didja kiss me?" Emma then groaned as she rolled over. "You cursed. Ow long I seep this time? Dead? I is dead yeahup. This heaven. Even deam Gina no kiss me" Then Emma was snoring soundly.

"Told you his potion worked" Said a very relieved Ruby. Then she grinned widely as she stepped up so she was right next to the bed. "Now this is going to be brilliantly fun" She chuckled as she began to poke Emma in the shoulder.

"Glad yours mine heaven. Loves you forevers. No Robins here. Hates Robin" Emma continued to mumble on, but the words were far too muffled by the pillow under her face to be accurately translated. However both Ruby and Regina thought it sounded suspiciously like 'Robin should die by crowbar covered in fire sauce shoved up his ass'

Mind racing Regina just stared open mouthed. The proof. There was so much of it, all of it clearly undeniable. Baby Emma had marked her, had come to her, had trusted her. The kiss she had shared with Emma had caused smoke and a shockwave had knocked everyone save her to the floor. She had never thought Emma could love her, but clearly, she did.

"You stupid, idiotic, infuriating woman" Regina snapped as she found her voice, and her anger.  
"Of all the asinine things to do! You stop taking your meds, you do all these dangerous stunts. You fight evil witches, run around willy nilly as sheriff. All the while you never thought to mention about your extremely deadly heart condition! That was entirely vital information Emma! So help me, if I did not just have to kiss you with some sort of truer than true love kiss right now, in front of not only your parents but Rumple no less, I would strike you dead where you dare to sleep!"

"Mhmmm" Moaned out Emma as she pulled her pillow into her chest and nuzzled her face against it. "Okay" Was mumbled. Causing Ruby to have to bite her fist to keep from laughing her literal ass off as Regina stomped her foot and glared evilly down at the blonde.

Once more everything was quiet save for the steady beat from the heart monitor and the occasional happy hums from the slumbering savior. With each passing second Regina was looking angrier and angrier, while Ruby was trying to find the ability to open her mouth without falling into a fit of laughter at the entire situation.

"She's still dead asleep" Ruby said when Regina looked ready to light Emma's ass on fire - literally. "After a good nights sleep, or really whenever she falls asleep at work she does this. Anyway, I got this. Watch me, learn from the master" Ruby began to shake the blonde lightly. "Emma, Granny made us some fresh bear claws"

"WHAT? Claws? Where? Gimmee" Emma shouted as she literally bolted upwards, falling right out of the bed from the force of it. Now fully awake at the promise of the somehow mystical and godlike food. "Hey! Where's my food? I hate you Ruby" Pouted the woman as the wolf helped her back into the bed.

Once back in the bed Emma continued to grumbled and glare at Ruby as Regina glared at her. Looking as if she were plotting seven ways to murder the blonde to sunday. Emma was too busy being mad about the bear claws to notice that some of the nurses were still scattered on the ground.

"You do know that you were moaning about Regina and how much you loved her and how she was your heaven in your pre-awakened state right?" Emma literally began to choke on air and beat on her chest as her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. "I so cracked into your computer, we all know that your background is a picture of her"

Now. The first part had been very true. Emma had certainly been mumbling and smiling and dreaming about Regina. Everyone had heard that, something that many would tease her about later. Or at least Ruby knew she would. However the wolf had never, as much as she had tried, been able to crack Emma's laptop, phone, or tablet. No matter how many times she had tried.

"That's! That's! Ruby that is an invasion of my personal property and so not a discussion for ever. Especially not in front of Regina or Snow or David or fucking A, even Rumple's here" Emma squeaked out waving her hands wildly. Her face was a violent red color as she glared at Ruby, who couldn't hide her laughter as she began to laugh harder than she ever had before.

"Oh my fucking Zeus. Really? like seriously? Your background is legit a picture of Regina? Fuck what is the password? I heart the evil queen?" Ruby asked between barks of laughter. She held her stomach, which was starting to hurt from the force.

"You. You. But. I. You. Cracked. What? I." Stuttered out the blonde before she clenched her fists. "I am so gonna fucking kill you" Was spat before she was lunging forward. Knocking her body into Rubys.

David jumped out of the way as the two women slammed into the ground, Ruby on the bottom. Emma looked beyond livid, Ruby had her hands on her wrists. Trying to fight her off without getting the living shit beat out of her, or having to hit the previously dying woman.

"Emma. Stop. It's quite alright" Emma though she'd just curl up and die as Regina placed a hand on her shoulder. Her body relaxed and she jerked away from the woman's touch. She quickly scrambled back over to the bed.

Crossing her arms and pulling her legs close to her chest she looked down at the foot of the bed. She couldn't believe that Regina now knew how she felt, worse, Regina felt sorry enough for her. Pitied her enough that she hadn't gotten around to murdering her yet. Emma wished that her heart would just give out in that moment, save her the pain of the embarrassment of her secrets being out in the world.

"It's okay" Regina repeated softly. "Do you remember how Chaya, Emmett, and Asael were in town? Do you remember seeing them?" Patiently the woman waited until Emma was ready to answer, she wanted to ease Emma into this news, but she also knew it needed to be said as soon as possible. That hiding this from Emma would only make the woman distrust her.

"Yeah" Was uttered softly as the Sheriff thought about the fact she had still yet to be murdered. It was a good and bad sign. As, sure she was alive, but it only made her wonder why on earth the woman pitied her so badly. "Where is Chaya anyway?"

"Five days ago the weather was bad. It was raining profusely, it was late. Chaya crashed. Thankfully that night Ruby and Belle were watching the twins for her. So they weren't harmed. However. Chaya didn't survive the impact" Regina actually managed to sound sad, at least enough to fool Emma.

Who just sat. Shell shocked. Regina's words replaying in her mind. Trying to process them, trying to hear them in a different way. She felt Ruby squeeze her hand, felt Regina's eyes on her. Felt everyone's eyes on her. She blinked. Realizing that somehow she'd outlived Chaya. Something she'd never wanted, nor planned on, doing. She might not have loved her like she loved Regina but it still hurt. Like someone had squeezed her heart to dust.

"No. She. She can't be. Dad. Dad's gone now too. Who is gonna watch after them" Emma said as she slipped into full panic mode. "I can't. My heart. I'm dying. Whale. He tells me I'll be lucky to live the week, and they can't go into the system. And hell will freeze over and bacon will be zero calories before I let them go to Snow. Regina. Please. Will you take them. If Chaya's really gone. I'll get everything she had. Everything can be yours. Just take them, love them, raise them. Please. But you have to get their hearts checked, every day. Please?" Emma was starting to hyperventilate as she pleaded.

"Emma! Emma! You have to calm down" Regina said as she sat down next to Emma, reaching an arm around to rub her back softly. "Rumple was able to make a potion, with Tinkerbell's help. To show who your soul love was. Something only a child of true love can have. Well one of the two people always are anyway. So when they kissed you, it cured you. Giving your heart all of its health back. And your sons? Their hearts? They are strong. Your ex made sure to have them checked monthly"

Once more Emma was shocked into silence. Her brain was in overload. There was too much information firing away inside of her brain. Regina knew she loved her. Everyone knew she loved Regina. Chaya had died. Her sons were healthy. Strong. She had some sort of uber love that cured something that she was sure was going to kill her last she was awake. This was far too much for the woman to process in one short period.

"Strong? Their hearts are okay?" That was a huge relief. Her worst fear when it came to children had been that they'd have her condition. "Soul love? Like supersized true love? I'm okay? My heart's cured? But. That makes no sense. I only love" Emma stopped as her face was overtaken with a red hue. Putting tomatoes and magma to shame with it's vibrant shade.

"This is all I am going to say on that particular matter while still in this horrifying hospital room" Regina grabbed onto the blonde's chin, forcing her to look at her. Then she kissed her deeply. Emma just gaped at her when she pulled away. "Trust me Sheriff, you are sleeping on the couch until the twins are in high school. Nearly killing yourself just so you can eat those awful cheeseburgers and donuts. Not to mention not taking your meds" Regina then slapped her shoulder, hard.

"Ow!" Emma yelped after the impact. Her face scrunching up. "Wait, what? Why would I sleep on the couch? I have a perfectly good bed. Why did you kiss me?" She rubbed at her throbbing skin as she spoke, it was clear she was beyond confused and Regina let out a sigh.

Rubbing her temple Regina didn't know whether to slap the universe for making Emma Swan a second generation idiot, fireball David and Snow for their genetic idiocy, or thank the universe or writer or whomever for making it so Emma was in fact her idiot. Emma just stared at her, still perplexed on whatever was going on and waiting for answer. Sighing Regina fought the urge to take a frying pan to Snow's face. As she chose to blame her for Emma's idiocy.

"The twins will need more than a townhouse. Not to mention one where the second floor is a flat! With no rail, just a drop off. They are already set up at my mansion. And as my, unfortunate, soul love you are not going to so much as think about touching or kissing anyone but me until you die. However I am livid with you. So you will be sleeping on the couch, in the sitting room, not the one in the den where the TV is. Which you are grounded from, including your precious sports. I will return to pick up and take you home in three hours. I'll bring you clean clothes." Mouth hanging open Emma watched as Regina left the room.

"Somehow I think I was just forcibly married to the most controlling, magnificent, brilliant, hot, perfect woman on the entire fucking planet" Was spoken in awe before a dark look passed over her face. "Poor Chaya. I knew I shoulda got my chain changed. If I had. She'd still be alive right now" As she spoke she gripped the pendant that still hung around her neck.

Snow couldn't help but wince at her daughter's words. If Emma had changed the information on her medical dog tags that hung around her neck then she would have surely died. However she knew that no matter what that no one could ever let her know that. Snow would have killed the woman a thousand times over if it meant her daughter lived.


	6. Chapter 6

"Wait, i thought I was getting the couch?" Emma said as she furrowed her brow in confusion. Regina stopped heading up the stairs then whipped around to glare down at Emma. Who gulped and backed up until she couldn't any longer. Her body stopped by her parents.

"Trust me when I say you most certainly will be getting the couch. However you were just released from the hospital. Completely cured or not i'd rather err on the side of caution. For the next four or so weeks as the doctors go over any and every test they can perform on you your chambers will be the guest room. When you are cleared for duty you will move to the couch" Was spat.

There was no way that Emma was going to dare talk back to the clearly angry woman that she happened to love and that also just happened to be her super uber true love soul love thingy that Emma still didn't quite understand but was too thankful to question to deeply at the time. Plus she'd take a bed over a couch any day of the week.

That was what the blonde did. At least, for the first few days. Just trying to keep out of the dog house. Getting used to not only new living conditions but the fact she had two more children. Children who didn't understand why one mother was gone. Why they suddenly just had Momma, Regina and the big brother they already worshipped.

Days had turned into weeks before finally it had been six. Six long hard confusing as fuck weeks. Emma had long since stopped loving Chaya as a lover should many, many years before. Her love had morphed to that of a best friend, and into some twisted form of sisterhood. Yes, she loved her. Just not as one should love their other half. However, knowing that she had died. Knowing that she was gone forever. That hurt and that was a pain that Emma found too hard to move past yet.

As she stared out at the darkening sky Emma's mind slowly began to go over the past weeks. Until it landed on that night, two weeks ago, where things had begun to change. Whether it was for better or worse she still didn't know. That night was important though, that much she knew. Henry needed to know the full truth, and so she had told him.

" _With you going back to work starting in the morning you really should go get some sleep" Was grunted as Henry caught his birth mother watching him prepare a glass of milk. At two in the morning, long past the time he was supposed to be asleep and in bed._

" _Perhaps I should, but I do believe that a certain young man's curfew is half past nine. Which, if I do remember correctly, I was barely able to pull for you. So why don't you and I have a nice little chat without your mother breathing down our necks, or your baby brothers running all around causing havoc and mayhem. Cuz me and you? We ain't talked since shit went down, and yeah, don't tell your mom I said shit. Twice" Henry couldn't help but smile and shake his head at her words._

 _Silence surrounded them as they stared at each other. Now full glass of milk sitting in front of Henry who moved his gaze to stare at it. As if it were about to sprout wings and fly away should his gaze waver for a millisecond. With a sigh Emma fell into the seat across from him._ _Leaning_ _forward on her elbows. Wondering what to say to him._

" _So" It was breathed out slowly, elongated to the point_ _of_ _butchery. "I should uh. Well. Drink this quick. And uh. You know. Like. Go to bed. Stuff to do tomorrow and all" Was stated awkwardly before he was gulping down the white liquid so fast that it was dribbling down his chin._

" _Not gonna be that easy kid. You been avoiding me whenever possible. Times up, you can't of thought I'd let it go on forever. Why don't you talk to me anymore? Why don't you spend any time with me? Hell you barely acknowledged my presence. Scatter off whenever the twins are around. They already really look up to you, and it hurts everyone your Mom included when you ignore them" Truthful, blunt, but kindly spoken._

_For several minutes Emma just let Henry stare at his glass. Eyebrows scrunched close together, nose wrinkled, lips pressed tightly together. The blonde couldn't handle the silence so she poured more milk into her son's glass, before getting up to grab one for herself. Sipping at her mug as she waited for her son to speak._

" _You lied. You lied about my father" He spoke quietly. Not looking anywhere but_ _at_ _his glass of milk. "He was a bad guy. Chaya, she hated me. You could tell from how she looked at me. Now. And now. Well. You have your real sons back. Mom even loves them, loves you. So does she even love me anymore. Can you even love me?"_

" _Henry you look at me" Emma leaned forward and used a single digit to raise his chin. "You are not your father, you are not to blame for his actions. I see him as a sperm donor, who had absolutely nothing to_ _do_ _with who you are. Your actions, your deeds, what you choose to do with_ _your_ _life. Those are all you." She paused. "Do I wish that he hadn't done what he did? I won't lie. Yes. I wished that for ten whole years. Until I met you. And Now. Now things are different"_

Confused he stared at her. Clearly not knowing what she could mean by that. He just stared, not knowing if he actually wanted to know these things. Henry was pretty sure that he wouldn't know what to ask, let alone could, even if he did. So instead he sipped his milk as Emma fiddled with her hands. Stuck struggling trying to articulate what it was that she needed to say.

" _What I wish is that you could have come to me in a different way. However, right now, in this moment, If I had to choose between being forced by your father and having you as my son. Or never meeting him, and therefor not having you. Then I would choose the pain and torment that I went through. You are a good son, a good person. I know that you know right from wrong. You know that life is grey, not black and white. Henry. You are smart, loving, and you would never hurt someone. Or taking something from someone they did not want to give. Your mother loves you, as do I. Understand?"_

" _I think so" He finally said. "So. You really don't hate me because of him?" The words were spoken quietly. Henry was scared of the answer. He still wasn't convinced, no matter how much what she said sounded like truth. He was a little boy, who had learned too much far too fast._

" _Of course I don't! No. Never. Do you understand. I could never hate you" Emma promised him strongly. "I love you. You are my son. Your mother loves you no differently than she did before she knew. Your little brothers simply adore you. Your grandparents. Ruby. Granny. Archie no one loves you any differently."_

_All he could do was stare. The gears in his mind going full force as he tried to find any untruths, any hiccups at all, in his mother's statement. Trying to understand it, trying to believe it. The fears swirled in his guts, but he did believe in their love. It was just hard. He wanted life to go back to normal, where he didn't have to fear they couldn't love him. Where he wouldn't have to be afraid that he would grow to fill shoes he didn't want to think about._

" _Okay. but." Henry paused. Biting his lip and dropping his gaze again. "What if I. I mean. What if. What if I am bad? What if I am just like he was?" Emma grabbed his chin roughly and forced him to look at her. Light bruises appearing on his chin. She was angry._

" _You won't ever be nothing like him. Your parents don't dictate who you become. Not even sometimes how_ _you're_ _raised. You know better. Right now. Think about it. Think about it real damn hard. Could you ever hurt someone? Could you even kiss a boy or girl if you knew they didn't want you to even do that?" Was demanded._

" _No! I wouldn't dare! That would be wrong" Emma nodded and finally let him go. He blushed. Arriving at his mother's point. He never wanted to hurt anyone. He just wanted to be happy and loved. For everyone to get their happy ending. Henry was a good soul. Even if he'd been born of ill intentions._

_Things were clicking together in Henry's mind. He was finally believing that things weren't his fault. That things could get better. He wasn't bad at all, at least not like he had feared. Henry smiled a little. A pressure had been lifted from his chest, and while things were not completely fixed they had certainly gotten better._

" _Exactly Henry. You are not the man who fathered you, and you never will be. You are Henry Mills. Your mother's son. My son. You are smart,_ _brave_ _, headstrong, mischievous, and infuriating at times but you would never hurt anyone on purpose. That is who you are, and you never need to change that" With that Emma gave her son a nod and left him alone with his thoughts. Letting him process through everything he'd learned._

The relationship between the Savior and Ex-Evil Queen was an odd one, to say the least. They were almost domesticated in a sense. They lived together, parented three children together. Scheduling who had who when, but they had only ever shared a handful of kisses. Never talked about who they were as a couple, or even if they were a couple in the first damn place.

Smiling Emma glanced around at her family as the credits rolled on the screen. As confusing as it all still was, as much as she craved to discuss things with Regina. This was the happiest she could remember being since coming to the infernal town. The woman she loved was her true love, which meant that the hope that one day Regina and she would be together lived strongly in her heart. But she was patient. Content to let Regina set the pace.

The Mayor was passed out, having had fallen asleep during cars. Her head was thrown back with Emmett's face buried in her neck. It was quite the beautiful sight. It was times like this that made Emma want to have a thousand more children. Or however many Regina wanted, Emma was fine with as little as one more, or as many as they could.

Emma stood up carefully, being as stealthy as possible as to not wake the mostly asleep Asael in her arms. Once her back was straightened and she had a good grip on the toddler his older brother got to his own feet and stepped over, carefully stepping over a few stray toys.

"I will take him if you can somehow manage to get the sticky clingy one of Mom's deathly clutches" Henry joked with a whisper. Emma glanced from the toddler and then back at the older boy. "Come on Ma, this way you only have to do one heavy lifting up the stairs. Then just throw a blanket over mom. I'm just gonna crash once I'm up there"

Rolling her eyes Emma handed over the smaller of her twins, watching as Henry took him carefully up the stairs. Then she rubbed her hands together and started the hard work. Getting Emmett from Regina. Which she succeeded in doing, after about fifteen minutes. However, it was worth it as neither party had woken up.

With Emmett and Asael tucked into the beds and sleeping soundly she checked in on Henry, who true to his word was already out like a light. Though Emma knew he'd get an earful from Regina come morning since he was still in his jeans and sweater. Couldn't really blame him, generally he was in bed shortly after nine.

Tonight hadn't gone as planned. Both Emma and Regina had been kept at work, thanks to a damn Ogre of all things. So the Saturday night movie hadn't even started till just after eight. And it was already eleven. Truthfully Emma had wanted to cancel it, but the three boys had used their puppy dog eyes and thus it had gone as scheduled. __  
  
It had taken Emma nearly twenty whole minutes to contemplate what exactly she was going to do about Regina. Their son had told her to just leave her there, but she didn't want to do that. But she also didn't want to be the one to wake her up. So, she decided, she'd just have to carry her to bed as well.

Now, Emma only had to manage to do that without waking her up. So she carefully slid her arms around the mayor. Lifting her into her arms. Regina groaned, and wiggled further into Emma as the blonde carried her bridal style up the stairs. Going slowly as to not wake her any further. While also relishing the feel of her in her arms. The mayor's head was planted in her neck, and one arm was latched around. Holding onto her. Thankfully she was still passed out after all the magic and havoc that had gone that day.

Being as quiet, and careful, as possible Emma nudged the door open with her left foot before continuing to carry the adult bundle into the room. Her arms had begun to ache, but not terribly so. As gently as she could she placed the woman onto the bed. Emma quickly went to work taking off her shoes and socks. Then she made a vital error. She went to move the blankets that were underneath the mayor, causing her to wake up.

"Uhm. I am so not trying to violate you, or, you know , your space or so anything super creepy. I swear." As Emma spoke she threw her arms up and took several steps backwards. Not wanting to be completely slaughtered, or worse for Regina to think she was about to rape her in her sleep.

"Sheriff Swan, how on earth did I get upstairs and into bed? And where are our children?" Emma loved it when the kids were claimed by Regina. However, she had not liked the solid two minutes of deadly, eyebrow raised, glare filled silence that had come before Regina had even opened her mouth.

"Uh. Well. You see. Well. Henry took the little one, and I got Emmett. I put them all into bed and got them asleep. Anyways. Henry said to just throw a blanket over you, but the couch really isn't comfortable. Neither of them. Make my back hurt something awful. So I carried you upstairs. I was real careful didn't want to wake you up. I laid you down and was tryna get you tucked in and your shoes off and stuff and then you woke up" Emma sped through her explanation. Pausing to take in a gulp of air. "I'm really, really so-"

"Do shut up Emma. Get under the covers, and go to sleep" Interrupted Regina as the blonde's eyebrows rose in shock, thoroughly confused by this statement. That she really wasn't sure was a statement or a question. "You have five seconds to get into this bed or sleep outside Sheriff Swan. I suggest choosing quickly."

Before either woman could even so much as think of blinking Emma had jumped over Regina and crawled under the covers on the other side of the bed. She didn't even care she had yet to switch from her jeans to her sleep pants. Regina fell back asleep within seconds, and then Emma had pulled her into her arms. pressing her front to her back. One arm secured around her wait. The Savior then fell into the most peaceful slumber she could remember for as far back as she could remember, it felt right. She fell asleep to the feel of Regina in her arms, and her heart beating soundly in her chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all I wrote folks. Hopefully you enjoyed. As always, please, please let me know any and all thoughts you might have had.

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know all of your thoughts.


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